Means to facilitate the opening of bags.



W. L. PROSS. MEANS T0 PAOILITATB THE OPENING OF BAGS.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 19064 THE NORRIS PETE PATBNTED NOV. 13, 1906.

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NITE)" STATES PATENT OFFICE.

\VILLIAM L. FROSS, OF SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

MEANS TO FACILITATE THE OPENING OF BAGS- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 13, 1906.

Application filed January 15. 1906. Serial No. 296,215.

provision of simple andefficient means to facilitate the opening of the mouth of a bag or other receptacle having a flexible portion in which the mouth is located.

A further object is to provide an improvement of this nature which can be readily embodied with bags having draw-cords for 010s ing their mouths.

. With the above and other objects, to be referred to in the following description, in view,

my invention resides in the construction and arrangement of parts, as shown on the drawings, set forth in this specification, and succinctly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, in which like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout both the views, Figure 1 is a view in perspective showing my improvement embodied with a bag'having draw-cords arranged at the mouth for closing the same, the hand of the operator being shown gripping the finger-holds of the device preparatory to opening the mouth of the bag; and Fig. 2 is a view in perspective similar to Fig. 1, but showing the bag with the mouth open and held to elongated form.

Reference-numeral 1 indicates a bag formed from flexible material and provided with a mouth 2, the edge portion of the material about the mouth being hemmed, as at 3, and having the draw-cords 4 and 5 inserted in the hem in the ordinary manner, whereby when the draw-cords are drawn outwardly in opposite directions the edge portion of the bag at the mouth is gathered, thereby closing the'bag. When the bag is filled to the limit of its capacity and the mouth closed, as above described, it cannot be readily opened in ordinary manner, as the material of the bag about the mouth is drawn taut and cannot be gripped. Therefore the operator is usually compelled to work his finger into the mouth to expand the same. To overcome this objectionable feature, I provide suitable finger-holds, as 6 6, which are attached to the bag at opposite sides, as now considered, by means of flexible connection 7 consisting of sections of cord of suitable length which have their inner end portions secured to the bag adjacent the points at which the draw-cords pass outwardly from the hem. The finger-holds are preferably slidably engaged with the draw-cords, each" being formed with an. aperture 8, through which the adjacent draw-cord is passed.

Inoperation the operator grasps the finger-holds, one between the thumb and first nger of each hand, and draws them apart, whereby the mouth of the bag is opened.

Then while holding the finger-holds apart (see Fig. 2) the lower portion of the bag can be swung upwardly by his other fingers and the contents of the bag discharged. This discharge can be regulated by the operator, who by increasing the outward pull on the finger-holds obviously decreases the width of the mouth. When a sufiicient quantity has been discharged, the thumbs and fingers are slipped from the respective finger-holds onto those portionsof the draw-cord lying immediately therebeyond, which are then gripped and pulled outwardly in opposite directions, thereby closing the bag, as heretofore described.

Havi-ng thus described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States of America, is-

1. A bag having a mouth, draw-cords hav ing projecting portions adapted to be grasped and pulled in opposite directions for gathering the material of the bag about the mouth thereof for closing the same, and finger-holds slidable on said projecting portions of said cords and attached to the bag.

2. A bag having a mouth, draw-cords arranged in the bag about the mouth thereof, said draw-cords being movable in opposite directions for gathering the material of the bag for closing the mouth thereof and having {draw-cords and said finger-holds can be simulprojecting portions adapted to be grasped by taneously held in the hands of the operator. 10 the operator, and means for opening said ,Signed at Seattle, Vvashington, this 6th month consisting of flexible connections, and day of January, 1906.

finger-holds secured to said connections, said i WILLIAM L. FROSS. connections being secured to. the bag adjacent I Witnesses: the projecting portions of the draw-cords, i ABLITA ADAMS whereby both the projectingportions of the i FRANK E. ADAMS. 

